AMLP vs MLPX: Which ETF Is Better in 2026?
A metric-by-metric comparison of Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP) and Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX) — both Energy funds — using ETFValuer's daily-updated rankings.
Educational content — not financial advice. Data as of July 25, 2026. ~5 minute read.
The Verdict
AMLP and MLPX compete directly — both are Energy funds chasing the same job in a portfolio. That makes this a genuine either/or: the index each tracks, what it costs, and how it has handled drawdowns are what separate them, not the broad exposure they give you.
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — MLPX scores higher: 78.3 (Grade B+) versus 71.2 for AMLP. That doesn't make AMLP a bad fund; it means MLPX currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Head-to-Head: Every Metric
| AMLP | MLPX | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Energy | Energy |
| Expense ratio | 1.01% | 0.45% |
| Fund size (AUM) | $12.2B | $3.5B |
| Dividend yield | 7.76% | 4.13% |
| 1-year return | +22.45% | +33.65% |
| 3-year return | +67.79% | +106.98% |
| Volatility | 12.49% | 15.48% |
| Max drawdown | -14.27% | -16.77% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.40 | 1.85 |
| ETFValuer score | 71.2 | 78.3 |
| Grade | B | B+ |
| Overall rank | #96 | #23 |
Bold marks the better value in each row. "Better" is directional only (e.g. lower cost, higher return) — it isn't a recommendation by itself. See the full methodology.
Cost
MLPX is the cheaper fund, charging 0.45% a year versus 1.01% for AMLP — a gap of 0.56 percentage points (about $56.00/year on a $10,000 position) that compounds meaningfully over a multi-decade holding period. See the ETF Fee Calculator for the exact dollar impact at your investment size and horizon.
What AMLP's Fees Cost You
AMLP charges an expense ratio of 1.01% a year, deducted automatically from the fund's value. Small percentages compound into real money — adjust the figures below to see the impact on your own numbers.
Assumes a constant gross return and no additional contributions — a simplification, but it isolates exactly what the expense ratio costs. Try the full fee calculator to model contributions and compare any two funds.
Performance & Risk
Over the trailing 3 years, MLPX returned +106.98% versus +67.79% for AMLP — a gap of about 39.2 percentage points. On risk, AMLP has held up better historically, with a shallower max drawdown (-14.27% vs. -16.77%). MLPX currently has the better risk-adjusted return (Sharpe ratio of 1.85 vs. 1.40), meaning it delivered more return per unit of volatility taken on.
How Closely Do They Track Each Other?
Over the last 3.0 years of daily returns (752 shared trading days), AMLP and MLPX show a strong correlation of 0.855 — clearly related, with room to diverge. There is some genuine differentiation here, but not enough to call these complementary holdings. Pairing them mostly concentrates risk rather than spreading it.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Daily return correlation | 0.855 | Strong — clearly related, with room to diverge |
| R-squared | 73.0% | 73.0% of AMLP's daily moves are explained by MLPX's |
| Tracking error (annualised) | 8.96% | Typical yearly spread between the two funds' returns |
| Annualised return over 3.0y | AMLP +19.28% · MLPX +27.85% | MLPX ahead by 8.57 points a year |
Correlation alone understates how far these can drift. Across every rolling 12-month window in the period, AMLP finished as much as +6.3 points ahead of MLPX at the best extreme and -28.7 points at the worst — a 35.0-point spread between the best and worst year of relative performance. Two funds can correlate tightly day to day and still deliver very different outcomes over any single year you happen to hold them.
Calculated from daily total returns over the trailing 3-year window, recomputed every day this site refreshes. Correlation of 1.00 means the two funds moved in lockstep; 0.00 means their daily moves were unrelated.
Holdings Overlap
AMLP and MLPX share no companies among their top 10 reported holdings. That points to genuinely different exposure, so holding both is more likely to diversify than to duplicate. Full portfolios may still overlap further down the list.
Based on the top 10 holdings in each fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing.
Which One Should You Pick?
Lean AMLP if…
- Current income matters to you — it yields 7.76% against 4.13%
- It has been the calmer ride (12.5% volatility vs 15.5%) with a shallower worst-case fall (-14.3% vs -16.8%)
- You want the deeper, more liquid market ($12B in assets vs $3B)
Lean MLPX if…
- You want the lower running cost — 0.45% vs 1.01%, about $56 a year less on a $10,000 position
- You care about return per unit of risk — its Sharpe ratio of 1.85 beats 1.40
- You weight recent results heavily — it returned 107.0% over 3 years against 67.8%
Whichever you pick, holding both at full weight is usually the wrong answer — see the overlap and correlation sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AMLP or MLPX better?
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — MLPX scores higher: 78.3 (Grade B+) versus 71.2 for AMLP. That doesn't make AMLP a bad fund; it means MLPX currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Which has the lower expense ratio, AMLP or MLPX?
MLPX currently has the lower expense ratio (0.45% vs. 1.01%).
Can I hold both AMLP and MLPX?
You can, though the benefit is limited. At a correlation of 0.85, AMLP and MLPX fall together far more often than not, so owning both adds complexity and a second expense ratio without much real diversification. Most investors are better served picking one.
Go deeper on either fund
Full daily-updated metrics, holdings context, and category peers.